The secret between them, p.14
The Secret Between Them, page 14
Greer reached into her bag and removed a thick book. She strolled over to Sage, who lowered her head, avoiding their expressions. One of them giggled, probably Marlys. Greer opened a planner and showed Sage a circled date.
“October 20th,” Greer said. “Eden and I will be in Atlanta.”
Sage looked up into her eyes, waiting for the punch line.
“We expect dinner,” Greer said earnestly. “We expect you to show us around… a little, and,” she paused to dramatically proclaim the rest of her sentence, “we expect to meet your husband.” They all laughed except two people: Teddy, who took the opportunity to slip into the living room and turn on the TV set in there, and Eden, who watched Sage with contented eyes.
Eden walked toward her. “We’re the curious type,” Eden said, smiling.
“We’ll beat you ladies there,” Gia said excitedly. “Right, Sage? I’m going around Labor Day with Cleve.” Gia sealed her statement with celebratory dance steps.
“What about me?” Marlys checked her phone. She glared at Eden. “I must have missed your text.” The other girls were amused again.
“You don’t need an invitation, Marlys,” Eden said.
“We just decided this morning,” Greer said.
Marlys eyed both Eden and Greer. “So, you were going to include me… and Bridget?”
“Girl trip,” Greer yelled out.
Eden grinned at Sage. “Get ready, girl. It looks like an ATL party.”
“Come on, then.” Sage waved them on, recalling what Braxton had said about having plenty of room. “We have two guest rooms and a large couch… make that two couches.” She remembered to include the upstairs sofa.
Gia watched Sage, petrified. “Are you sure? You just banned these loose women from your husband’s sight. Remember? Just seconds ago.”
“He works most of the time,” Sage reasoned. “They may not even see him.”
“Don’t underestimate these women, Sage,” Gia warned.
Greer shook her head. “No, we’re there to see the city—mostly.”
“And to shop,” Eden said.
Marlys balled her fists and danced around, suddenly all in. “Maybe,” she said, halting, her eyes wide open. “If we can steal Gia away from Cleve, we could make it a bachelorette trip.
Gia shrieked, moving to face Marlys. “Listen to me because I may never speak these words again.” She looked into Marlys’ eyes. “You, girlfriend, are brilliant. Atlanta, here we come,” Gia shouted. They all rejoiced so loudly that Mrs. Goldsby peeped out of her bedroom to see what had happened.
Chapter 16: A for Effort
The Foister Ballpark was new, only three years old. The park had seven baseball diamonds separated by tall chain-linked fences, so multiple Little League games could be played simultaneously. Several communities had rallied together and lobbied the city council to build it in a central location. So now, Saturday games at Foister Ballpark were a town event.
Teddy and Allie sat in the back seat of Gia’s Camaro. Their bodies leaned against each door as they peered out the windows. Most spots were already taken when Gia pulled into the parking lot. Folks had already started parking on the grass outside the gate. Gia mixed into a line of cars inching their way to the entry gate to drop off her siblings. Her car hadn’t completely stopped before Teddy and Allie had the back doors open and were bailing out.
“Slow down,” Gia yelled as they slammed the doors, racing each other to find their team. She drove through the parking lot for another five minutes before spotting a cramped spot on the last row of cars.
Sage, carrying a full grocery bag of snacks, followed Gia, who pulled an ice chest loaded with sports drinks and bottled water through an open gate. The ladies made their way through the crowd and found the team’s dugout.
Gia took the sack from Sage and set it on the ice chest. She smiled proudly, watching the kids. Teddy warmed up in the outfield, catching every ball thrown at him. Allie paired up with a girl about her size and tossed a ball back and forth with her.
“This is their last year playing coed.” Gia flashed a worried look at Sage. “Teddy is moving on to fastpitch. He can’t wait.”
“At least he’s not playing football,” Sage said, directing a terrified look at Gia.
“He’s starting to talk about football,” Gia said.
“What about our girl?” Sage asked about Allie.
“She likes to bat,” Gia grinned. “That’s it.” She caught Cleve’s eye and waved. He waved to her and Sage. Cleve stood tall amongst his team, handing gloves to the newcomers, high-fiving them before they ran off to warm up. Duffy unloaded bats, swinging them as if judging their weight.
“Duffy’s helping out?” Sage asked.
“Yeah,” Gia said, looking over at Duffy and then back at her. “How did your time with him go? I saw you two talking last night.”
Sage shook her head. “I don’t think we’ll be able to be friends.”
Gia looked stunned. “Does he know that? I’m telling you, Sage. Duff has something on his mind that could be very different from what’s on yours.”
“He’s fine,” Sage said, hoping Gia was wrong. She prayed for him last night. For the first time in the five years since she last saw him, she prayed that he would find peace and happiness.
“Okay,” Gia said. ”Whenever you want to talk about it, I’m here.”
“Deal,” Sage told her.
On the field, Cleve yelled instructions to his team. “Let’s get this started,” he said. “Daryl, you’re pitching. Teddy, on first. Nan, on second.” Duffy trotted out to the outfield, setting up kids out there.
“Allie, start us off at bat.” Cleve waved Gia’s little sister to home plate.
She approached the home plate and tapped the instep of her tennis shoes with the top of the bat like a pro. Sage chuckled to herself, watching Allie. She got into her stance and held the bat firmly, her elbows up. Sage eased her phone from her back pocket and snapped a quick picture of Allie as she waited for the ball. She swung as soon as the ball neared the plate. The sound of the bat connecting with the ball started the kids yelling. The ball floated over Daryl and dropped short of Nan on second base. Allie was halfway to first base before Nan scooped it up and threw it to Teddy, who called his little sister safe.
Cleve yelled to Gia. “Wanna warm up my pitcher?” Gia grinned, put her purse on the ice chest, and brushed her hands together. Cleve met her at home plate and handed her a bat. “I’ll have Daryl go easy on you since you’re a girl,” he murmured, moving behind her, positioning himself as the catcher. He then shouted to Daryl to “serve it up.”
Gia handled the bat with authority, whirling it back and forth in her right hand, and then she took a couple of practice swings. First pitch, she watched the ball glide over the plate.
“Strike one,” Cleve called out.
Gia pointed the bat toward the outfield. “You might want to tell your guys to move back,” she said.
He chuckled. “I think they’re fine.”
The next pitch, Gia swung with force, driving the ball far into left field. She ran to first base and trotted to second.
Allie circled the bases and sprinted for home. She crossed home plate before the ball made it to the second baseman. Nan held the ball long enough to keep Gia on second before throwing it to Daryl.
“Good job, Nan,” Cleve called. He looked toward Sage. “How about you, Sage? Can your nails survive a swing or two?”
Sage glanced behind her. “Is there another Sage out here?”
“C’mon,” Cleve urged her. “We’re just warming up… waiting for the other team.”
For whatever reason, Sage decided to try.
Cleve handed her a bat. “Keep your eyes on the ball and hit it when it crosses the plate.”
“Oh? Is that all?” Sage said. “That sounds easy enough.”
“Right,” Cleve said, circling his finger for Daryl to pitch the ball. Sage bent her knees and shifted her weight to her right leg like she’d just seen Gia do. She swung at the ball far too late.
“Watch your timing,” Duffy called, walking toward her. “Swing a little sooner. Before the ball actually reaches you.” Sage got into her stance and bounced. “Your stance is… pretty good,” he said, then frowned. “Maybe not so much bouncing.”
“Okay, got it.” Sage released a breath. The second pitch floated past her before she got a swing off. “Before it reaches me?”
“That’s right.” Duffy, now beside her, demonstrated the proper batting posture. Sage imitated him, taking a practice swing. “Just like that,” he said.
Daryl pitched a slow ball, and still, Sage swung too late.
Cleve nodded, “That was a little better.”
The kids started screaming, jumping up and down. Gia was running, stealing third base.
“Gotta watch that one,” Cleve shouted to his team and looked again at Sage. “You ready?”
Duffy winked at her, “Keep your eye on the ball and swat at it like it’s annoying you.”
Sage gave a quick thumbs up and pointed the bat at the outfield, imitating Gia. The ball glided toward her, and Sage swung. The bat clipped the top of the ball that plopped straight down in front of home plate. She stood there for a second, watching it.
“Run,” Duffy yelled.
Rattled, Sage threw the bat down and took off for first base. The kids screamed as Daryl tracked down the ball and made a spot-on throw to Teddy. Sage managed to outrun the ball.
Gia eased off third base and ran for her life to home plate. Teddy threw the ball back to Daryl, who threw the ball to the Cleve. The ball arrived too late. Gia crossed home plate, arms in the air, celebrating.
Sage took that opportunity to run to second base. As Cleve tossed the ball back to Daryl, Sage quickly ran to third. Cleve called to Daryl to hold the ball just as he threw it to the third baseman. Sage started running while the ball sailed through the air. The third baseman caught the ball and chased after her. He threw it back to Daryl, who was closing in.
Sage lengthened her strides. She was just a few steps away from victory when her back foot tripped on uneven ground. Toppling headfirst, Sage landed only a few foot away from home plate. She rolled to her back and rested there for a moment. Daryl knelt over her and tagged her out. Most of the kids leaped for joy. Some crowded in with the adults who peered down at her with sympathetic faces. Gia and Cleve stepped forward and helped her to her feet.
“It was peaceful down there,” Sage told them.
Gia looked her over. “Are you okay?”
Sage had a scraped and slightly bloody elbow. “Not quite sure,” she said.
Duffy punched her shoulder lightly. “You almost made it.”
Sage trudged toward the table. “How many points do I get for almost making it?”
“You get an A for effort,” Cleve said, inspecting her injury. “Ouch. That’s gotta hurt.”
Sage pouted. “Does it have to?”
“First aid coming up.” Gia headed for her purse.
Cleve trotted out to the field, settling down the kids, who were still celebrating.
Duffy led Sage to the ice chest. He removed the paper bag so she could sit down.
“I’m fine,” she assured Duffy. “Go. The game must go on.”
Duffy placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll check on you later.”
“I’ll be here,” she told him.
Sage’s phone rang. She pulled her phone from her pocket, grateful it was still in one piece. She checked the screen. It was Braxton. Had she forgotten to call?
She answered, “Hey, Braxton.”
“Sage?” His voice sounded urgent.
“What is it?”
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“Yes, why?”
“I just got a text that you were hurt?”
“Hurt?” She was astonished. “Who would send something like that?”
Braxton sighed heavily. “You did,” he said, aggravated. “What’s going on, Sage?”
“How would I know?” she snapped, deciding to be upset as well.
“I’ll forward it to you, and then, you tell me.” Braxton hung up, and a few seconds later, her phone dinged. She opened his text and could only stare at an aerial shot of her lying on her back, a painful grimace on her face. The message read, “Help.”
Gia approached her with a spray bottle. “Hold up your arm.”
“Look at this.” Sage showed Gia the picture. “It’s me they’re after. Someone sent Braxton this picture.”
“Who sent it? Did he say?”
Sage stood, looking around the ballpark. “It had to be someone here?” She racked her brain, recalling who stood over her when she was on the ground. Several faces gathered over her. Now that she thought about it, she wasn’t sure she recognized each face peering down at her.
“Let’s spray some antibiotic on your arm,” Gia said, attending to the abrasion. “Someone’s messing with you,” she said. “This has to be a prank.”
“How did he or she get Braxton’s phone number?” Sage asked no one in particular, and no one had an answer. Common sense told her that the messenger would have to somehow be connected to her husband to text him at his private number. But then, the psycho Mustang driver called her personal number. Could someone have access to her phone and her contact list? But even so, that person would have to be physically at the ballpark. Sage couldn’t fathom that part of it.
As soon as Gia finished nursing her arm, Sage wandered toward the bleachers. They were filling up. The other team and their supporters had arrived. Most everyone had their phones out. Sage searched the crowd for someone who didn’t belong and found him.
An average-looking man, oddly dressed for a morning ball game, stood between her and the bleachers. He wore a short-sleeved dress shirt and slacks and talked intensely on his phone. Sage focused on the man openly. His back was to her. She was too far away to overhear his conversation.
Just as she moved toward the man, closing the distance between them, a young boy ran to him, grabbed his hand, and pulled him toward the bleachers. It sounded like the boy called him dad. The man allowed himself to be led to a row of seats and sat down among the crowd.
“Anything?” Gia asked Sage as soon as she returned.
“I don’t know what anyone would want with me,” Sage said softly. She wanted to scream but didn’t dare cause a scene.
“How’s the patient?” Duffy’s voice startled her. She spun around. Duffy took one look at her face and adjusted his.
He frowned. “What’s wrong?” His gaze switched to Gia, whose expression wasn’t much better. “What’s happened, ladies?” Both women took a deep breath but said nothing. Duffy focused on Sage. “Wanna tell me?”
“I wouldn’t know where to start,” Sage said.
“The beginning always works for me,” he smiled weakly.
“I noticed a car following me.”
“Here?”
“No. Back home.”
“In Atlanta?”
Sage nodded. “In my neighborhood.”
Duffy stepped closer to her. “Following you?”
“Yeah. Stalking me.”
“Okay,” he said, focusing on her. “Did you file a police report?”
“No,” Sage answered, wondering if she should get Duffy involved. “I wasn’t completely sure what was happening.”
“Listen, Sage,” he said. “You don’t have to be certain of a crime to report it. If you suspect something, you should report it so there’s a record of some kind. Just in case it’s real.”
“I know,” she agreed.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he said. “Go on.”
“He drives a black Mustang, this guy.”
Duffy looked surprised. “You’ve seen what he drives?” Sage nodded. He then asked, “How many times have you spotted him?”
“I think... at least three times.”
“And the dress shop,” Gia reminded her.
Sage nodded. “I saw that same car at the mall. I got the tag number that time.”
Duffy’s eyes lit up. “Sage, you have the car’s tag number?”
“On my phone.” She searched her phone and showed the screen to him.
“Excellent,” Duffy said. “Text it to me.”
“I don’t have your number,” Sage said, handing him her phone. Duffy forwarded the tag number to his phone and handed it back. “Plus, someone may have hacked my phone,” she told him.
Duffy looked at her warily. “Never ever click on a text if you don’t know the sender, and do not download anything sent to you through a text unless you requested the information.”
“I know all that,” she said.
“What about your husband?” he asked. “Has he seen this car?”
“No, he hasn’t.”
“He hasn’t witnessed anything suspicious?”
“I don’t think so.”
“What kind of business is he in?”
“Duff,” Sage shook her head. “I’m starting to feel stupid.”
“There’s nothing stupid about being cautious, Sage. You have no idea what lengths people will go to disrupt your life.”
“I thought, at first, it was just a random incident, like road rage or something.”
“Where were you the first time you saw the car?
“At the neighborhood park.”
“The second time?”
“On the street in front of my house.”
“The third time?”
“Outside my house again and then at the mall.”
Duffy raised his eyebrows. “That doesn’t sound random.”
“I know that now.”
“You’ve got to be careful out there.”
“I couldn’t even use my debit card yesterday,” Sage said.
“What?” Duffy nearly shouted. “That’s not good.” He watched her with heavy concern. “I just went through the same exact thing. It was torment. I had to get a lawyer. The whole bit.”
“Oh no, Duff,” Sage said.
“These thieves are ruthless. I’m telling you, they’ll find out everything about you and clean you to the bone.”
“I’m sure her husband can handle that part,” Gia said. “He’s a financial guy.”
